THERE will come a time when political bigots and parochial religious scholars will propose that all shopping malls will be prohibited from displaying Christmas decorations because they might pose a grave danger to the religion of the dominant race.
Taking selfies or videos with Christmas decorations in the background has raised alarm among some quarters who believed it could lead to “misinterpretations of Islamic principles”.
One Islamic scholar drew a line between what is permissible and what is haram (prohibited) for Muslims when it comes to Christmas celebration.
But the line is so thin that it could cause confusion. Based on his perception or misconception, it is vital for Muslims to differentiate aesthetic reasons from religious implications when taking snapshots with these decorations
If you take a picture solely for aesthetic reasons, presumably meaning all these decorations are seen as a thing of beauty worth keeping in the album, there is no harm.
If the photograph is seen as having religious elements which go against Islamic beliefs, you have crossed the line and committed something that is haram.
Thus, it can be narrowly argued that if a Muslim takes a selfie with Santa Claus in a shopping mall, he is indirectly supporting Christianity because Santa Claus is regarded as being associated with the Christian religion.
‘Politicising Christmas’
All this can be controversial. When Muslims take selfies of Christmas decorations, it is mostly done on the spur of the moment. The question of whether it is for aesthetic reason or otherwise does not immediately come to the mind.
One politician even took exception to a Christmas carolling session performed on the premises of a ministry in Putrajaya because it might affect the sensitivities of the Muslim staff considering that it is government territory. This view is as narrow minded as it gets.
These days, the religious significance of Christmas is mainly highlighted inside churches. Outside, commercialisation has taken over and all those eye-catching decorations and catchy Christmas songs are just another good day for business.
It is dispiriting when bigots, religious or political, lay out rules or express opinions that dampen the joy of a festival on display in shopping malls or any other public spaces.
Christmas cannot threaten the faiths of other races when seen purely as just another festival in a multi-racial society. It is only when it is politicised that everything turns ugly.
Let Malaysians of all creeds and races celebrate Christmas without wearing blinkers that can distort a beautiful scene.
If you see Santa Claus making the rounds in a shopping mall, there is no harm taking a selfie with him for your album. He’s just a modern figure come to deliver gifts and spread cheers all around.
Ho! Ho! Ho! Let’s all celebrate unity in diversity against the background of jingling bells, twinkling Christmas trees and popular, ageless melodies. – Dec 29, 2024
Phlip Rodrigues is a retired journalist.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main image credit: Liverpool football star Mohamed Salah was criticised yet again for his somehow ‘annual’ Christmas tree pose with his family
